Ch Supt Ian Wylie said: “There’s been an incredible response from the emergency services, partner agencies, charities, volunteers and members of the public over the past 48 hours to keep people safe in extremely challenging weather conditions.

“It’s heartening to see communities pulling together at times like this and I want to praise the work of all the emergency services and local authorities in our region, with many people going above and beyond the call of duty.

“While most main roads in our region are now passable with care, we still have lying snow and ice affecting many routes, so we’d urge people to drive with caution and appropriate to the conditions.

“There will be some roads in our region, especially in Somerset, which remain impassable and ungritted minor roads will still be treacherous.

“The A46 near Bath remains closed due to drifting snow and Highways England are working hard to clear it so it can be re-opened to traffic.

“For all updates on the road network, please pay attention to the Highways England and Travel Somerset websites and social media channels for the latest information.

“It’s likely there will be freezing temperatures overnight into Sunday and more icy conditions in the morning, so also stay up-to-date with the latest weather forecasts and any alerts issued by the Met Office.”

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